A Beautiful Message
by myriassterre
Summary: Buffy sits in a cafe in Rome, Spike shows up to give her an important message, not Spuffy. BA. Complete.


A Beautiful Message

By Maddy

**Summary:** Buffy sits in a café in Rome, Spike turns up to give her an important message. B/A.

**Rating:** PG13

**Spoilers:** Not too much specifically, know about Shanshu.

**Timeline:** Post "Not Fade Away."

**Disclaimer:** Don't won any of the characters.

**Feedback:** I live for it! That means, yes please, review me.

**Author's Notes:** To anyone who really hates Spike, I'm sorry but this isn't an 'I hate Spike Fic,' as much as I love to hate him, I couldn't bring myself to do it with this fic. There are many more opportunities to hate Spike, and I will exploit them to the best of my ability. And to anyone who like Spuffy, this isn't the fic for you either. It's B/A all the way!

3 months ago the most amazing thing happened. I was sitting in a little café in Rome over looking the bay, engrossed in Xander's latest mission report, his trip to Asia had been successful in returning 4 more slayers to England for prepping and 'Intro To Slaying' as it's now know.

Okay, when I say 'mission reports' I mean a letter from him while he's in England helping Giles and the rest of the council. Xander's job was to go and locate the recently called slayers and tell them and their families about vampires and other demons, and if the girl is 15 years or older, he brings them back to headquarters to start their training.

15 was the age Giles and I thought would be the best, as if was the age I was when I was called.

I hadn't seen Xander in 4 weeks and wouldn't be seeing him again till he set out on another job. Xander's home base was England, but he would always stop by the house Dawn and I lived in first. I always looked forward to those visits, as did Dawn, or that's how she seemed. Since we moved to Rome, the rest of the old Gang was spread out around the world, each doing their own part in the new and hard task we had ahead of ourselves, we rarely saw each other and haven't all been in the one place for a long time.

The person I saw most, besides Dawn, was Faith and Robin. My sister slayer and I had reformed the bond and she was now living in Milan with Robin. They make the strangest couple.

Back to the amazing thing.

I was so happy to hear from Xander that I hadn't noticed someone enter the café, until her spoke I didn't even know he was there.

"Buffy."

"Spike?" No, Spike wasn't the amazing thing, I mean, I knew he was alive. Andrew told me, but it was still a surprise to see him, his hair still bleached and still dressed in black. He was smiling and I got up to hug him.

"About time you came to see me."

"I could say the same thing about you, pet."

He sat down and we talked, I expected it to be awkward but it wasn't. He told me he was human now, something about a 'prophecy,' he explained the logistics, but I was in too much shock to be paying that much attention. And he also said that even though he still loved me, he knew I could never love him. I asked how Angel was and all he could say was:

"That's why I'm here." Spike said it with such seriousness I feared that Angel was dead, he quickly told me otherwise. "Angel's fine. But I just want to talk to you about him. When I left to come here, he gave me a message that I had to give you."

"Since when are you and Angel such good friends?"

"Sine never. We just understand each other more. That's all, I swear. I wouldn't call him my friend if it would save my life."

"How about now that you _have_ a life?"

spike just glared. "Now, Slayer, here I am doing both of you a friggin' favour and all you can do is-"

"Spike, just tell me."

"Forever…that's the whole point."

(page break)

"What?"

"Did you suddenly become deaf?" He said, "forever, that's the whole point."

But how could Angel possibly know? I never told him about any of the dreams I had while he was in hell. No, this isn't possible! I've never believed in coincidences (or leprechauns), and I sure as hell wasn't gonna start now. I looked into Spike's eyes, he was staring intently back, waiting for me to reply.

"Di-did he…" I took a breath. "Did Angel say why that's the message?"

"Slayer, I'm not telepathic and Angel isn't Mister-Gonna-Show-My-Feelings. He just said 'Tell her, forever…that's the whole point.'" He leant back into the chair. "personally, I think it's all a bit suss. Obviously, it means something to the two of ya. Has he said that to you before?"

"Yeah," I said softly.

"When?"

"When he was in hell."

Spike raised his eyebrows. "I never thought you for a nutter." He paused, "okay, I have-"

"It was in a dream." I interrupted, "we were standing on a beach and he said that to me. How could he have known?"

"Don't ask me." Said Spike, putting up his hands. "I just work with the guy."

"Spike, what's going on?" I asked, knowing that there was a lot more to know than what he was saying. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Quite a lot actually. But it isn't my place."

"Since when have you cared about that?"

"Since Angel threatened to kill me if I told you anymore than I've already told you."

"Oh, okay." I replied sceptically. "I don't think I'll ever understand the two of you."

"That's the way we like it, keeps us all mysterious."

"Whatever, Spike. I'm annoyed now."

"Life's a bitch, ain't it."

"You're not helping any. Why are you here?"

"I cam to chat, to tell you my good news and to give you a message. And you're 'wigging' as you call it."

"I am not. I just need to know what's going on."

"Need or want?"

"Spike, quit the mind games!"

"Sorry, Slayer. I'm just trying to help."

"Help? Who exactly are you helping? I mean, you're totally loving the playing of the mind games and I think some of Angel's cryptic-ness has rubbed off on you 'cause you're not making a word of sense. It kinda reminds me of when _you_ were crazy in the basement. Are you still crazy?" But he wasn't listening, Spike was leaning over to look behind me, which was the entrance. I shouldn't have sat facing away from the front of the front doors.

Spike smirked and then sat back properly in his seat. I must have had a very confused look on my face, 'cause his smirk broke out into a grin, he gave a slight nod to the entrance of the café, as if to say 'take a look.'

I did, and nothing in my 23 and a half years of being alive (and for some of that, I was dead) could have prepared me for what I saw standing outside in the sunlight.

(page break)

He smiled broadly at me, but didn't make a move to enter the café. He just remained in the sunlight, a thing that would have burnt him into nothing only weeks before. I couldn't seem to move either. I was in too much shock to think about anything except that he was there and he was in the sunlight, and smiling. How come I didn't have this reaction when Spike showed up, a real life breathing human.?

Because you don't love, Spike, answered my mind. Not in the same way you love Angel. I mean, you do love Spike, but as a friend, nothing more, but you love Angel like a…soulmate, love of your life, your other half – my god, stop babbling!

"Buffy, I think he's waiting for you to go to him."

"Really?" I asked Spike, still not taking my eyes off Angel. I've never seen him look so beautiful.

"Yeah, after all isn't this when you're meant to run into his arms and then say hello by putting your tongues in each other's mouths with some violin background music?"

"You can turn anything into something-"

"Amusing?"

"Crude." I said turning back to face the former vampire.

"He loves you, Slayer. More than I do-"

"Spike, it's okay."

"Hey, I'm sure there's a female on this Earth I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with."

"And I hope you find her, she'll be a lucky girl. Insane, but lucky."

"Thanks, that means…a lot. A nice insult, but you have to go get him." He said flashing me his trademark grin.

With a slight nod I managed to get up out of the chair and turn to face him. I don't know how I did, my legs were shaking, I even had to steady myself using the table. It was then that I looked right up into his beautiful dark brown eyes. I could drown in them…

He half-smiled at me, and I felt the first tear roll down my cheek. This can't be happening right? After years and years of hoping, wishing and praying, this can't have finally happened? It can't be real, can it? This has to be a dream, or some sick joke. My god, I remember thinking, if this is some trick, so help whoever is behind it.

I think I stood just starring at him for quite a while, 'cause Spike actually pushed me toward the doors. I stumbled slightly, but with my Slayer grace, quickly recovered and began walking, albeit slowly, toward him.

I didn't really notice what I was doing, all I could see was him. Still dressed in black, his skin still deadly pale. But it was his eyes and his smile that had changed, they were happier, more care-free. It fit him perfectly. I wondered then and there if it was possible to love him more than I did in that moment.

Not likely, answered part of my brain. But of course there was an opposing opinion from a different part of my brain. Nothing is impossible, he's proving that right now. him standing there is a miracle, your miracle.

My miracle.

I smiled at his as I finally made it to the doorway separating the café from the world outside. He was outside, standing in the now-non-harmful-rays-of-sunlight. He seemed to like it.

He reached forward with his hand. I looked at it for a moment, then took two steps forward and reached out with my own hand and slid it into his. I made a slight sound of surprise when I felt warmth coming off his flesh. Warm…

"You're warm."

"I know."

"You're in the sun."

"I know."

"You're human."

"I know."

"And you're here."

"Forever…"

"That's the whole point." I finished. "It was a beautiful message. I loved it, how did you know-"

"Does it really matter?"

I looked askance. "No, I guess not." And without a moments thought I had flung my arms around him, holding onto my living miracle with all I had inside. Which, with me being a slayer was quite a lot.

"Ah, Buffy." He croaked. "As nice as this is, I can't really breathe."

"Sorry," I apologized, loosening my grip. "This is amazing," I mumbled into his silk black shirt, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"It is, it really is."

"What happens now?"

"I'm not sure."

"You didn't have a plan?" I asked incredulously.

"Na, not really." He admitted, chuckling. "It was pretty much 'oh, I'm human, that's nice.' Then it was 'I've gotta tell Buffy and pray that she's a cookie.'"

"Not much of a plan. And here I was thinking you were Mister Plan Guy."

"You always have that affect me. It makes me very irrational and unpredictable."

I grinned, so did he. That was the amazing thing. 3 months ago, Angel and Spike appeared in Rome. Angel and I did reunite with the whole tongue in each other's mouth thing, but there was no violin background music.

With the 3 months that has passed, my life seems to be getting better everyday. Angel is being, well Angel. The most incredible, wonderful, fabulous, amazing, astonishing, astounding, wonderful – oops, I said that already, ah well, I can't think of anymore verbs.

The point is: I've never been so happy in all my life. The feeling of wholeness, completion and safety that I get when I'm in his arms is the closest to Heaven. In some ways it's better, because I love Angel more than life.

And that feeling will always be better than Heaven.

The End.


End file.
